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We begin by considering briefly the evolution of the family, its cross-cultural variability, and its history in the West. We next examine how the family is currently defined in the U.S., discussing different views about what families should look like. Class and ethnic variability and the effects of changing gender roles are discussed in thi

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This course seeks to examine how people experience gender - what it means to be a man or a woman - and sexuality in a variety of historical and cultural contexts. We will explore how gender and sexuality relate to other categories of social identity and difference, such as race and ethnicity, economic and social standing, urban or rural lif

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This course introduces scholarly debates about sexual identities, gender identities and expressions, and sexual orientation and its representation in film and literature. We begin with a contemporary debate about biology and gender identity, considering its relationship to the historical understanding of sex, gender, and sexual identity. Our investigation continues with the theoretical underpinnings of the emerging field of queer studies, from the nineteenth century to the present day, and considers how subsequent work in transgender studies continues to challenge traditional understandings of sex, gender, and sexuality.

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Built around Plato's Symposium, Shakespeare (including A Midsummer Night's Dream), Catholic writings (including Humanae Vitae), and several movies, this course explores the nature of romance and erotic love. We will examine such topics as sexuality, marriage, and procreation with an eye towards how we can be better at being in love. The course generally tries to integrate the analytic approach of philosophy with the imaginative approach of literature.

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